Community Chat

[wagirl]

I don't remember getting an allowance when I was a kid. My dad worked at Boeing when we moved from New York to Seattle in the mid 50's. He made 80 cents an hour. then 2 more kids came along and he made more $$ but things were very tight. I do remember ironing things for neighbors for 25 cents an hour during the summertime. We kids would load up a wagon with glass pop bottles from around the neighborhood for the few cents they were worth. Then at 15 I went to work and earned my own $$ for school clothes and such. Paid for most my extra fun stuff as well as drivers ed and school yearbooks.

[Squirrels Are Trash]

I had a chore chart and each chore had a dollar value that was totalled up at the end of the week. There were plenty of chores that didn't "count" as chores though. I did get paid for babysitting my sister at night.

When I was 13 my father handed over all the outside chores (lawn mowning, shrubs, pool care, trash, gardening, shoverling raking, etc.) Once It was so hot and humid out I fainted while mowing the lawn. One of the neighbors saw it and boy did I get in trouble.

[AFWIFE]

I never had an allowance but always had what I needed.  When I was 10 I started mowing yards in the neighborhood and then at the age of 15 I also became a lifeguard.  I would mow before or after the lifeguarding hours.  In the winter, I would clean the house of an elderly lady.  I can't imagine that I did a great job but I think her real need was to just have some company.  She was a great story teller and I really enjoyed sitting with her and drinking strawberry soda. 

[Cakers3]

I never had an allowance.

I did get change from my father to put in my Half Pint coin bank. I cannot post a picture but some may remember those banks.

I still had mine, even the lock and key. I gave it to my son years later and then it went to grandson.

[Lakelife62]

We did not get an allowance. We earned privileges. A ride to a dance, a new outfit, a drive-in movie and sleepover. I was 16 when I got my first job as an aid in a nursing home. I have worked ever since and always had my own money to buy the things I needed.